How are the Aikikai and Kokikai styles of Aikido different?

I want to start Aikido and there are two dojos close to where I live. One is a Aikikai school and the other is a Kokikai school. How are they different? Do they both teach self defense?

I have looked on the internet but I cannot find any information on the difference except that Aikikai is the style run by the founders grandson and Kokikai is run by a high level Aikidoka who taught in the USA for years.

Second of, if you google kokikai, I think you will find plenty on it's origins and how it might differ from aikikai.

If you mean how different in terms of specific techniques/strategies? I'll let aikido experts work on that one, but I doubt there is that much difference.

I can't really imagine a serious boxer being interested in all the ki stuff in aikikai. I mean, maybe there are some of those mythical hot aiki-babes ? They do exist but usually the sensei have them all corraled already.

Aikido is fraught with politics, particularly aikikikai. I wouldn't be surprised if that were involved in the split.

Just from Wiki"
Maruyama Sensei was originally sent to the United States in 1966 by the AikikaiHombu.[1][3] He taught in the US for many years. When Koichi Tohei Sensei left Aikikai to found Ki-Aikido, Maruyama Sensei followed him. This was consistent with Japanese martial arts tradition, because he was a direct student of Tohei Sensei. Maruyama Sensei separated from Ki-Aikido in 1986 to found the Kokikai organization.[1][3][5]

Did the founders time in America make the Kokikai style of Aikido practical?

When Shuji Maruyama went to America, he was challenged in his Aikido classes. He found that he needed to adapt his teaching to impress Americans, deal with the strikes and challenges from Karate and Judo plus to deal with those who were larger and heavier.

Is this true? Did it make his Kokikai style a practical style for self defense?

I want to start Aikido and there are two dojos close to where I live. One is a Aikikai school and the other is a Kokikai school. How are they different? Do they both teach self defense?

I have looked on the internet but I cannot find any information on the difference except that Aikikai is the style run by the founders grandson and Kokikai is run by a high level Aikidoka who taught in the USA for years.

Don't know much about the Kokikai but I trained in the Aikikai. First off I will say that I hold Aikido very low when it comes to Self defense mainly because for the most part they do not train to actually pull of any techniques under pressure. I'm sure that someone will come and say that their Aikido is different but I would put money that my white belts would wipe the floor with their black belts easiy. So with that said, My Aikikai expereince was through my universtity and they were more focused on acting Japanese than actually doing Aikido. There was A LOT of talk about KI, ZEN, Japanese cultuere (none of them save me had ever been to Japan) and other spiritual things that had dick all to do with actual martial arts. My Japanese friends who were exchange students didn't want anything to do with the club. No one in the club had any idea about actual self defense. When a few of them got brave enough to cross hands with other MArtist the got whooped. I got asked to leave a seminar once because I didn't go with the idea of a "no touch throw." All in all I have a very low opinoin of the Aikikai the reason I even stayed with the club was for the girls, there was a lot of them and they were HOT!

When Shuji Maruyama went to America, he was challenged in his Aikido classes. He found that he needed to adapt his teaching to impress Americans, deal with the strikes and challenges from Karate and Judo plus to deal with those who were larger and heavier.

Is this true? Did it make his Kokikai style a practical style for self defense?

thanks

Thanks Gezere for merging the two. I should have just asked them both together.....newbie mistake.

Yeah I did box. Did it for about 5 years. I boxed at the golden gloves level here in Australia through the PCYC progam. I haven't really boxed since breaking my hand and knuckle at the little finger. It hasn't really been the same (it healed fine so the Doctors say but the knuckle area gets pain and soft tissue damage when I do some bag work.....only last resort is the have it fixed in surgery but hey that's expensive, will cost wages since no work while I heal and the doctors say no long term damage but avoid punching) since I broke it. I'm thinking of training boxing still but training palm strikes for my right fist when not jabbing or letting uppercuts lose.

Aikido sounds great but I am also seriously considering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (there is a Gracie Barra class close by too).

So atm it's either Aikido or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

And I was wondering the techniques differences and not the political differences:)

Last edited by Anarchy rising; 6/14/2012 5:15am at .
Reason: more details

Thanks Gezere for merging the two. I should have just asked them both together.....newbie mistake.

Yeah I did box. Did it for about 5 years. I boxed at the golden gloves level here in Australia through the PCYC progam. I haven't really boxed since breaking my hand and knuckle at the little finger. It hasn't really been the same (it healed fine so the Doctors say but the knuckle area gets pain and soft tissue damage when I do some bag work.....only last resort is the have it fixed in surgery but hey that's expensive, will cost wages since no work while I heal and the doctors say no long term damage but avoid punching) since I broke it. I'm thinking of training boxing still but training palm strikes for my right fist when not jabbing or letting uppercuts lose.

Aikido sounds great but I am also seriously considering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (there is a Gracie Barra class close by too).

So atm it's either Aikido or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

And I was wondering the techniques differences and not the political differences:)